How to Brew Milkshake IPA

A smooth, hazy Milkshake IPA starts with a high-protein grain bill, which contributes to both the beer’s thickness and haze stability. Unlike traditional IPAs, which use mostly barley malt, brewing Milkshake IPA requires a blend of specialty grains to achieve its signature mouthfeel. 

• Pilsen Dry Malt Extract – The primary fermentable base, providing a clean, slightly sweet malt backbone. 
• Flaked Oats – Adds body, protein, and haze stability to keep the beer thick and creamy. 
• Wheat Malt – Enhances smoothness and haze retention. 
• Honey Malt (Optional) – Provides a touch of residual sweetness to complement the vanilla and fruit flavors.

When learning how to brew your own Milkshake IPA, hop selection and timing are crucial. Unlike West Coast IPAs, which emphasize bitterness, Milkshake IPAs prioritize tropical, juicy hop character with minimal bitterness. The hops should be added late in the boil or during fermentation to extract aroma without excessive bitterness.

• Citra – Adds intense citrus, grapefruit, and tropical fruit notes. 
• Mosaic – Contributes mango, passion fruit, and berry aromas. 
• Simcoe – X
• El Dorado – Enhances the beer with juicy pineapple and pear flavors. 
• Sabro (Optional) – Imparts hints of coconut and tangerine, ideal for tropical Milkshake IPAs.

The defining ingredient of home Milkshake IPA brewing is lactose (milk sugar). Unlike traditional fermentable sugars, lactose is non-fermentable, meaning yeast cannot convert it into alcohol. Instead, it remains in the beer, providing a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness that enhances the fruit and vanilla additions. If you brew Milkshake IPA at home, using lactose properly is key to achieving that signature "milkshake" body. A typical Milkshake IPA uses ½ to 1 pound of lactose per 5-gallon batch. Adjust based on your desired level of sweetness.

To fully embrace the Milkshake IPA brewing process, consider adding real fruit purée and vanilla (beans or powder) to enhance the dessert-like character of your beer. These additions pair beautifully with the hops and lactose, elevating the overall flavor complexity. 

• Vanilla Beans, Powder or Extract – Adds a creamy, dessert-like quality. Vanilla should be added after primary fermentation for the best flavor retention. Adding to the boil or too early in the fermentation process can result in much of this delicate flavor being boiled off. To stretch an expensive ingredient, like vanilla, we suggest making a tincture using vanilla beans (essentially a homemade extract). See our step-by-step guide for detailed instructions on this technique!
• Fruit Purée – Common fruit additions include mango, strawberry, raspberry, or pineapple. Add during fermentation to allow the yeast to interact with the fruit sugars. 0.5 - 1 lb of fruit puree per gallon is recommended.
• Cacao Nibs (Optional) – For a chocolatey, milkshake-inspired twist.

Choose a yeast to accentuate the ingredients, flavors & appearance of your milkshake IPA. A low-flocculating yeast strain is ideal, as it stays suspended in the beer rather than settling at the bottom for a beautiful haze in your glass. A yeast strain that produces neutral esters can help the hops shine, while a yeast with fruity esters can enhance to the overall fruity flavor profile from the hops or added fruit puree. 

• SafAle S-04 – A great dry yeast option that provides a clean yet fruity fermentation profile.
• LalBrew Nottingham - This strain promotes hop biotransformation, accentuating hop flavor and aroma. 
• LalBrew Pomona IPA Yeast - Bred specifically for brewing tropical, juicy IPAs. Produces peach, citrus and tropical fruit notes and creates a stable haze for milkshake IPAs.

A sturdy stock pot is essential for boiling your wort (unfermented beer). For home Milkshake IPA brewing, you'll need: 

• A 1-2 gallon pot for small batches. 
• A 5+ gallon pot for a full-sized 5-gallon batch. 
• Choose a pot that allows room for foam and prevents boil-overs. However, avoid using a pot that’s too large, as this can lead to excessive evaporation and volume loss.

Temperature control is crucial when learning how to brew Milkshake IPA at home. Maintaining the right temperatures at different stages ensures proper enzyme activity, yeast performance, and haze retention. Our IPA making kit includes a glass lab thermometer, but a digital food-safe thermometer works too. Key temperature points: 

• Mash temperature: 155ºF for steeping grains. 
• Yeast pitching temperature: Below 75ºF for optimal fermentation.

A funnel makes transferring wort into the fermenter easy while minimizing mess and oxidation. Our Milkshake IPA brewing kit includes a 4” funnel to help with this step.

Fermentation is where the magic happens! A fermenter that is slightly larger than your target volume is recommended, especially if you plan to add fruit puree. For a 1 gallon batch, a 2 gallon fermentation bucket is an ideal vessel for brewing Milkshake IPA at home, allowing headspace for added puree. A rubber stopper ensures a secure seal to prevent contamination, while the airlock allows carbon dioxide to escape and keeps oxygen out of the fermenter.

A racking cane is a rigid plastic tube used to start a siphon transfer, lifting your fermented beer off the sediment and into bottles while reducing oxidation. This is especially useful for the Milkshake IPA brewing process, as it helps maintain the beer’s creamy texture and haze stability. Our IPA making kit includes a racking cane for a smooth transfer.

After fermentation, your beer needs to be carbonated in bottles. For a successful home Milkshake IPA brewing experience, you'll need:

• Ten 12oz pry-off beer bottles & Crown Caps
• Eight 16oz pry-off beer bottles & Crown Caps
• Four 32oz pry off bottles  & Crown Caps
• Choose between flip-top bottles (like Grolsch-style) or pry-off bottles with caps and a capper tool.

When dealing with high volumes of hops, a nylon hop straining bag is highly recommended. You want to keep hop matter out of the fermenter and bottles to prevent harsh or grassy hop off flavors. When brewing with fruit - whole or puree - a nylon fruit straining bag will help keep fruit solids and pulp separated from your beer. Less sediment = more beer volume for you to enjoy!

With the right equipment in hand, you’re ready to brew Milkshake IPA at home like a pro! Whether you're experimenting with new ingredients or following a tried-and-true recipe, using an IPA making kit ensures a hassle-free brewing experience from start to finish.

Step 1: Sanitize Everything

Before you begin brewing, proper sanitation is critical. Any bacteria or wild yeast can ruin your beer.

• Mix half of the included sanitizer packet with 1 gallon of water in a bucket or pitcher. 
• Submerge all equipment that will touch the beer after boiling (fermenter, funnel, airlock, tubing, thermometer). 
• Let everything soak for at least 60 seconds. No need to rinse—just let the sanitized equipment air dry on clean paper towels.

Step 2: Heating the Water & Steeping the Grains

• Pour as close to a gallon of water as possible into your brew pot while leaving a few inches of space to prevent boil-overs. 
• Heat the water on high heat until it reaches 155°F (68°C). 
• Place the specialty grains (flaked oats, wheat malt, and Carapils) into the grain steeping bag, tie it off, and steep in the water for 20 minutes. 
• Remove the grain bag and discard—do NOT squeeze it, as this can release tannins and create unwanted bitterness.

Step 3: Boiling & Adding Malt Extract 

Most milkshake IPAs won’t use “Bittering” hops, since the style favors fruit forward hop flavor and aroma instead of hop bitterness. Because of this, our New England IPA Kit features a short 20 minute boil (just to incorporate the Dry Malt Extract) and no hops will be added to the boil.

• Increase the heat and bring the wort (unfermented beer) to a boil. 
• Once the first bubbles appear, remove the pot from heat and slowly stir in the dry malt extract (DME) and lactose to prevent clumping. 
• Return the pot to medium-high heat to maintain a gentle rolling boil. Set a 20-minute timer.

Step 4: Hopstand for Maximum Aroma 

• After the 20-minute boil, turn off the burner and remove the pot from heat.
• Place a sanitized thermometer in the wort and allow it to naturally cool to 180ºF. 
• Once it reaches 180ºF, add the Hopstand Hops. Adding hops at this time allows the flavors of the hops to infuse without adding excessive bitterness. 
• Let the wort naturally cool for 30 minutes, allowing the hops to release their essential oils and juicy aromatics.

Step 5: Cooling the Wort 

• After the 30 minute hopstand, the wort must be cooled to a yeast-friendly temperature of 75ºF before fermentation can begin. 
• Create an ice bath in your sink using ice and cold water. 
• Place the pot in the ice bath and cover it with a lid to avoid contamination. 
• Stir the surrounding ice water occasionally to speed up the cooling process.
• Use a sanitized thermometer to check that the wort is below 75°F (23°C).

Step 6: Transferring to the Fermenter & Pitching Yeast 

• Using a sanitized funnel, transfer the cooled wort into the sanitized fermenter, leaving behind any thick sediment (trub). 
• If needed, add cool water to bring the volume up to the "one-gallon" fill line. 
• Using a sanitized fruit straining bag in your bucket fermenter, add optional fruit puree (0.5 - 1 lb per gallon) & close the drawstring to keep contained.
• Cut open the yeast packet and pitch the yeast (sprinkle the entire contents into the fermenter). 
• Aerate the wort by sealing the fermenter and stirring or shaking it vigorously for one minute to ensure yeast has the oxygen it needs.

Step 7: Setting Up the Blow-Off Tube & Monitoring Fermentation 

• Insert a sanitized blow-off tube into the fermenter’s rubber stopper. Place the other end in a half-full glass of water. This prevents foam overflow. 
• Store the fermenter in a dark, temperature-stable location (ideally 60-75°F).
• Within 24-48 hours, bubbling activity should begin in the blow-off tube as fermentation starts. 

Step 8: Swapping the Blow-Off Tube for an Airlock 

• After 4-5 days, once bubbling slows down, swap the blow-off tube for an airlock filled with sanitized water. 
• Fermentation will continue for about 10-14 days. 

Step 9: Dry Hopping for Maximum Juiciness 

Dry hopping enhances the juicy, aromatic character of a milkshake IPA. 

• After 4 days of fermentation, add the first packet of dry hops directly into the fermenter. No need to stir—just let them steep. 
• After 10 days of fermentation, add the second packet of dry hops for an extra boost of aroma. 
• Continue fermenting as usual.

Step 10: Making a Vanilla Tincture

Now you can prepare your vanilla, which will be added on bottling day. In a small container with a lid, add 1 or more vanilla beans. Top with just enough vodka to barely cover the bean(s). Seal with a lid and let soak 24-48 hours. After the soak, remove the solids. The liquid tincture will be used to add flavor to your IPA before bottling. 

Step 11: Preparing Bottling Equipment & Priming Sugar  

• Sanitize bottles, caps, siphon tubing, and the bottling wand or racking cane.. 
• In a stockpot, heat 1.5 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until dissolved and boil for 5 minutes. 
• Allow the sugar water (priming sugar) to cool completely before using.

Step 12: Siphoning Beer into Bottles 

• Place the fermenter on a high surface and the pot of priming sugar on the floor. 
• Siphon the beer into the pot, carefully leaving sediment behind. 
• Gently stir the beer to evenly mix in the priming sugar. 
• Now you can add as much or as little of the liquid vanilla tincture to your primed beer as you like. 
• Using sanitized tubing, siphon the beer into bottles, filling just to the neck. 
• Cap the bottles.

Step 13: Carbonation & Aging 

• Store bottles in a dark, temperature-controlled area (68-75°F) for two weeks to allow natural carbonation to develop. 
• After 14 days, refrigerate and enjoy your homebrewed Milkshake IPA! 

Pro Tip: If your beer is under-carbonated, let it sit at room temperature for an additional 3-5 days before chilling.

✅ How to Avoid It: When transferring beer, always use a racking cane or mini auto siphon to minimize splashing and air exposure. When adding fruit purees or dry hopping, work quickly to reseal the fermenter and limit the time it's exposed to oxygen. When bottling, store bottles in a cool, dark place to slow oxidation and preserve the beer’s creamy mouthfeel and vibrant hop aroma.

✅ How to Avoid It: Use lactose as directed in your recipe—it won’t fully ferment, leaving behind a subtle sweetness and creaminess. If you’re lactose intolerant, try swapping with Maltodextrin instead! Incorporate flaked oats and wheat to increase protein content and enhance the body of your beer. Consider using vanilla beans or vanilla extract to further enhance the milkshake-like smoothness.

✅ How to Avoid It: Use filtered or spring water instead of tap water, which may contain chlorine and unwanted minerals. Adjust water chemistry with brewing salts like Calcium Chloride (to enhance body and smoothness) and Gypsum (to boost hop perception). Aiming for a higher chloride-to-sulfate ratio creates a softer, rounder mouthfeel, which enhances the haze and juiciness.

✅ How to Avoid It: Skip early boil hop additions to prevent excessive bitterness. Focus on whirlpool, hopstand, and dry hopping techniques to enhance fruity, tropical hop character. Dry hop during fermentation (around Day 4 and again at Day 10) to maximize juicy aroma and maintain haze stability.

• Keep fermentation temperatures between 65–70°F (18–21°C) for best results. 
• Avoid drastic temperature swings, as this can stress the yeast and create off-flavors. 
• Use a temperature-controlled fermentation space or a simple water bath to maintain stability.

• When transferring beer, always use a racking cane or mini auto-siphon to minimize splashing and air exposure. 
• When adding fruit or vanilla, work quickly to reseal the fermenter and prevent prolonged oxygen contact. 
• Store bottles in a cool, dark place to slow oxidation and maintain freshness.

• Sanitize all brewing equipment that touches the beer post-boil (fermenters, airlocks, siphons, tubing, bottles). 
• Use a no-rinse sanitizer (included in our Milkshake IPA Making Kit) for convenience. 
• Rinse out your siphon and tubing immediately after use to prevent buildup.

• Track ingredients & their exact weights 
• Track fermentation temperatures & duration 
• Track tasting notes at different stages (before and after fruit/lactose additions) 
• Track hop schedule & dry hopping details

Yes! While lactose is traditionally used in Milkshake IPAs to add creaminess and residual sweetness, there’s a great alternative: maltodextrin. It’s a dairy free non-fermentable sugar that adds body and smooth mouthfeel to the beer. It won’t contribute excessive sweetness, but is an excellent alternative to lactose. Simply replace lactose with maltodextrin at a 1:1 ratio. Add it on brew day in the last 10-15 minutes of the boil.

Milkshake IPAs are all about fruity, creamy, and dessert-like flavors, so certain fruits work better than others to complement the hop profile and smooth texture.

• Mango – Classic for its tropical richness and juicy sweetness 
• Pineapple – Bright acidity balances the creamy body 
• Strawberry – Adds a sweet and tart kick, pairs well with vanilla 
• Peach – Stone fruit character enhances smoothness 
• Raspberry – Tangy, jammy flavors create a fruit-forward Milkshake IPA 

Passionfruit – Brings tropical tartness and a juicy pop

A good head of foam helps trap aromas and enhances mouthfeel, but some homebrewers struggle to achieve a thick, lasting head on their Dark IPA. 

• Ensure proper carbonation—if the beer is under-carbonated, the head won’t form properly. 
• Avoid using too many oils or fatty ingredients (such as certain fruit additions) that can reduce foam stability. 
• Serve your beer in clean glassware—any leftover soap residue or oils can break down foam quickly.